News Desk

Dubai’s ruler’s daughter, Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, appears to have announced her divorce on social media. A verified Instagram post from her account declared, “I hereby declare our divorce.” The BBC has sought clarification from local officials, but there has been no comment from Sheikha Mahra’s husband, Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum, or her father.

The post begins with “Dear Husband” and concludes with “I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you,” referencing the Islamic practice of triple talaq, in which the practice itself is banned in many countries but mostly allows husbands to divorce their wives quickly. The post ends with, “Take care. Your ex-wife.”

All images of Sheikha Mahra’s husband have been removed from her account, and Sheikh Mana’s account also lacks pictures of his wife. The couple married in April 2023 and had welcomed their first child just two months ago.

Some Instagram users speculate that Sheikha Mahra’s account might have been hacked, but there is no official confirmation of this. The divorce post was one day old at the time of publication. Dubai’s government and the UAE Embassy in London have not responded to requests for comment.